Astra Security has announced the closing of a $2.7 million growth capital round, led by Emergent Ventures, with participation from Neon Fund, Better Capital, Blume Ventures, and PointOne Capital. The funding will enhance its AI-powered pentesting solutions, which simulate hacker behavior to detect vulnerabilities, particularly in cloud environments.

Currently serving over 800 customers globally, Astra Security aims to double its focus on continuous pentesting as cyber threats evolve. The company, founded in 2018, uncovered nearly 5,500 vulnerabilities daily for its clients last year, with expectations to triple that figure by year-end.

“The cybercrime landscape is becoming increasingly complex with AI-based attacks,” said Shikhil Sharma, co-founder and CEO of Astra Security. He noted that traditional pentesting is insufficient in the current threat environment and emphasized the need for continuous monitoring.

Astra's platform, which employs AI to mimic hacker tactics, has detected over 13,000 vulnerabilities and helped customers prioritize the remediation of two million vulnerabilities in the past year. The firm targets developers overwhelmed by security concerns as the industry shifts security responsibilities within organizations.

Co-founders Sharma and Ananda Krishna have backgrounds in cybersecurity, having previously assisted large firms like Microsoft and Yahoo in identifying critical vulnerabilities. The funding will support their mission to integrate AI into security measures and streamline the penetration testing process.

This growth round is positioned to accelerate Astra Security's development and further establish its presence among mid-sized and large companies, which comprised over 25% of its customer base last year.